Scan barcode
sadhamster's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexism and Vomit
fionamclary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Like many readers, I had a hard time seeing how all four perspectives fit together. Often it felt like I was reading two to three different books. I think if all four characters had personal connections to each other, it would have worked much better. As it was, basically the only character that Louisa had any relation to was Karina. This made the different perspectives feel additionally disjointed. However, all characters went through satisfying development, whether for better or for worse. Preston, falling into the latter category, ended up being an interesting vehicle for exploring the intersection of art, capitalism, and the 2010s internet through a lens that captured both the 2011-2012 setting of the book and the hindsight that the author has 10 years later.
Speaking of the early 2010s...a small thing that bothered the heck out of me was the timeline of Preston's Tumblr. The book says that he started it shortly after his mother's death, which happened when he was 14. This would have been 7-8 years before the events of the book. Tumblr was launched in 2007, 4-5 years before the events of the book. I was surprised that a Millennial author would get this detail wrong—and she could have resolved it by saying that he started on another platform and then migrated to Tumblr, but no, it explicitly says that he started his Tumblr soon after his mom died. This bugged me way too much but I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to get right. Am I crazy??
I read this book in April 2024, as I'm watching encampments protesting the genocide in Gaza go up on university campuses across the country, so the Occupy setting of this book felt especially timely. I might recommend this book to anyone looking for parallels in their reading life to current events.
Anyway, I think this would be a solid read for the art girlies looking for something meditative and gay. Just don't expect it to be The queer academia of all time.
Graphic: Infidelity, Drug use, Classism, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Suicide, Death, Dementia, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Lesbophobia, Bullying, Police brutality, Grief, and Homophobia
hannahleewhite's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Dementia, Mental illness, Drug use, and Suicide
noahbenoit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Suicide and Domestic abuse
emilycmarshman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
In the late 2000s, Louisa, a young artist from the deep south, is admitted to Wrynn College of Art in New England, and struggles to prove herself among her elite, mostly rich classmates. She finds herself drawn to her originally removed roommate Karina, and the two begin a torrid, emotional love affair. The story follows the two of them, in addition to Preston Utley, a boy in their class at Wrynn that Karina dates at the same time she's becoming involved with Louisa, and Robert Berger, a painter-turned-adjunct-professor at Wrynn who's battling his own internal conflicts surrounding his place in the art world, over the course of less than a year of their lives.
The reason I'm giving this book four stars instead of five is because I do think the pacing felt a little off. The beginning of the story seemed to stretch on, and the end rushed by very quickly. I also feel as though the inclusion of Preston's POV was only for us to learn information requisite to the plot - he was a compelling character, and I realize his involvement in the lives of the other three protagonists was vital, but I don't think an entire POV was necessary. On the other hand, I felt extremely emotionally connected to Robert, Louisa, and Karina's stories. Louisa really struggled with having to leave behind her family, whom she's very close with (not to mention her grandfather is very sick), in order to pursue her dreams of attending Wrynn, which I can relate to very closely.
Antonia Angress did an incredible job of making each of these characters feel like real, tangible people, and by the end of Sirens & Muses, I wanted nothing more than for each of them to find happiness.
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
elisammansur's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, and Sexual assault
calicot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape
sophiamcd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Suicide
_jennaalbright_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, and Drug use
1414's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Death
Minor: Child abuse and Rape